Life
by Fishey
Summary: An incident occured between Tenten and Neji a little less than a year ago. Now, Tenten is alone. What happened to her? What will happen to her? TentenNeji
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Life

Chapter 1:

She sat alone on the steps in front of her home. She wasn't shaking anymore. Control was a great part of her life, anyway. The jounin in charge had come as fast as they had left. The one at fault couldn't have been too far away. They needed to catch him. She hadn't cried. She never did. Ever since she was a baby and learned that she could never depend on anybody, she stopped crying. Nevertheless, it was still pretty shocking. Never in her life had she felt so close to breaking down. It was puzzling how she didn't. Nobody came to see her. She was an ANBU member and they all assumed she would be alright. Well, she was alright but…no, she was alright.

The stars in the sky were shining down, clearing part of the sky. She didn't look at them, however. She wasn't interested in stars right then and there. Her life wasn't always going to be composed of wonderfully bright stars, she figured that night, so it was best not to look at them in the first place. Nor was it good to look at the moon or anything fearless when it came to shine out. Nothing good could ever last. Nothing.

Dawn came shortly after and so would the rest of the day. She needed to shower, to get changed, to get to work. They needed her, the entire village did, and she wasn't about to let them down. Slowly, she stood up, her behind a little sore for having remained in the same position for too long, sitting on the cold cement steps. She turned to enter her home, but stopped in the middle of reaching the handle. The clean-up guys hadn't come yet. She would have noticed, since she was sitting right at the entrance. They hadn't come. That meant…her hand began to shake slightly and she quickly drew back from the door, no longer wanting to go back inside. She shook her head slightly. What was wrong with her? Things like that happened all the time. It only meant that she would have to shower at a friend's house.

The doorbell rang and Hinata was the one to answer the door. Ino was still asleep and Sakura was in the shower. Leave it to Hinata to be on time and always ready. However, she wasn't ready for what would happen.

"Tenten!" exclaimed the young girl "Come in."

"I hear the shower." stated the girl, making no move to enter the house.

"Sakura is – hey! Where are you going?"

But her friend didn't speak. She merely climbed down the steps and walk away, leaving Hinata in the middle of her doorframe. Sorrow filled her milky eyes. It had been a little less than a year since her friend had turned the way that she was. She never hung out with them anymore. She hardly spoke at all. Ever since she became ANBU, she was only preoccupied with her missions. Hinata closed the door slowly, her mind suddenly very tired. She only wished she could help her friend, but she knew that was close to impossible. If she made any move to help her, she knew she would be closer to death than to anything else. It was no overstatement.

Lee wasn't home. He was probably out training with Gai or someone. How was her old team doing? Well, it didn't matter. He wasn't home. That's all she needed to know. She considered breaking into his house to take a quick shower, but decided against it. He would make such a fuss if he found out. It wasn't worth her time.

Hyuuga's house was not far from Lee's, but she preferred to go a little further, to Naruto's place first. She wasn't avoiding him per say, she told herself, she was merely avoiding the annoyance he would bring her upon opening the door. Of all the people in the village, of all the people in the world, he was the one she liked the least. It was normal, then, she thought, for her to use him as a last resort.

Naruto was gone she had no idea where. She didn't really want to know where, either. He wasn't important to her. Nobody was important to her. Life brought the people around her, but life stank. Calmly, she walked back towards Hyuuga's house.

Of course, he opened the door. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He was that type of person. His shirt was off and his pants were barely hanging. His hair was tied back, as usual. There was a short silence, where neither of them talked. He made no move to let her in, and she made no move to ask. They simply stared at each other; both looking at the other's body, a wordless way to see how the other was doing. At last, Neji opened the door wider and turned back to what he was doing. He hadn't told her to come in, but it was his way of expressing it. She took his welcome and went directly to the bathroom.

"Fucking Tenten." mumbled Neji when the bathroom door closed.

"Fucking Neji." mumbled Tenten, as she took her close off and hopped into the shower.

When she came out of the shower, he was pulling a sleeveless shirt over his chest. His pants were on firmly and his hair was still tied. She saw a scar on his abdominal just before his sleeveless covered it. She remembered the incident. It happened a little less than a year ago.

Carelessly, Tenten picked up a brush from one of her host's drawers and began to untangle her hair. There was steam covering the whole mirror. She couldn't see anything. When she finally came to wipe some off, she saw in the reflection of the mirror that Neji was standing right behind her. Quickly, she turned to face him, her fists ready. But they weren't. Hyuuga, faster, had pinned her wrists to the wall so hard she dropped the brush.

"Let me go." said Tenten between her teeth.

"That's the first thing you've said to me in the last six months."

"Shut up."

She tried to struggle out of his grip, but all in vain. He was a lot stronger than her. She tried to move her legs, but the area was too tight and he was blocking her way. She finally stopped struggling and he talked once more.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing here?"

"No."

"Then I guess your next destination will be a miss."

"See if I care."

He smirked, his first expression of the day. She disdained his smirk. Every time she saw it, she couldn't help but hurt and hurt someone. She looked away, trying to calm herself down. He seemed to realize this, and it made his smirk widen.

"Why don't you look at me in the eyes?" he asked.

She didn't reply. She couldn't reply. Anger was building in her heart and was spreading throughout her body, closing her eyes and her vocal cords. Her hands began to twitch and she tightened them into fists, preferring he not notice her tics. But it was too late, he did. His grip tightened around her wrists, taunting her. He chuckled a heartless chuckle, his eyes still locked on her closed ones. Would it take her a little more for her to explode? No…

Tenten opened her eyes. They were cold and angry. She didn't like having to borrow other people's showers. She didn't like being imprisoned. She didn't like Neji. She closed her eyes again, trying one more time to calm down. She couldn't let him win. She couldn't let him get what he wanted out of her. She wasn't the same little girl she had been some time before. If he wanted to mess around, she wasn't available.

Neji stopped grinning when she closed her eyes once more. She was really trying not to give in, he realized. In one way, it made him mad and jealous, but in another, it made him understand her a little more. He couldn't deny the fact that she had changed during the last few months. She had changed more than what he had anticipated. She was darker and yet more beautiful than what she had been. She seemed more angelic, but her heart was frozen.

Her eyes remained close when their lips locked. He kissed her fiercely, not daring to leave her one moment of weakness. His tongue played on her lips, looking for an entrance and to his surprise, she gave one. Their tongues played together for some time, each pushing the other. Neji conquered her mouth, but it wasn't with ease. She had fought back, but had given in after a few moments. They both realized what was about to happen.

Tenten, in the middle of it all, had slipped from Neji's prison and had rushed out of the bathroom, leaving the Hyuuga leaning on the wall, looking at her fade from the no longer fogged mirror.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Life

Chapter 2:

Rain began to pour as she left his apartment. Damn, so much for the shower. She didn't feel like running or hurrying to a nearby shelter. Rain, in moderation, never hurt anybody. She was already pretty wet. She couldn't get any wetter. And, for some reason, she felt like she could use another shower. What would her superiors tell her once they saw that she was soaked? Well, it didn't matter. She didn't really care.

Unwanted thoughts crept to the surface of her mind, but she pushed them back down, drowning them in the rain of her soul. She had no intention of listening to her inner thoughts. Ever. It was their fault she had suffered so much before, and she never gave second chances to anything, or anybody.

Tenten eventually arrived in her group and was able to change clothes, as someone had spare ones to lend. She and her group was in the Hokage's building. They weren't the only ones there. Other ANBU groups were waiting. It seemed pretty imminent that something was stirring towards the East. So many ANBU members gathered at once was only confirmation to that fact. Most members present carried a travelling bag. Some had just arrived from another mission, but most of them, having sensed another mission approaching, had packed to fit the occasion. The groups waited for half an hour before the Hokage arrived. Lucky for her, patience had been a virtue greatly adopted by the skilled nins, and the only reason she had not been attacked upon her appearance. She spoke:

"As it may seem evident to you, there have been some stirrings in the East. Our sources have witnessed members of the Akatsuki in the mist village, but that is not all. Orochimaru, or Sasuke, has planned a new attack on us, and on the Akatsuki members. You are all aware that Sasuke wants to kill his brother. Now, he has another goal: kill us, and any link to his past, as well. After he has destroyed Itachi, he will gather his troupes and attack Konoha."

She paused and looked at the unmasked faces. Some bore shock, but most of them stayed calm. They had been trained for such situations. They knew what to do. She continued:

"We have, however, something that every party wants. The Akatsuki need it for their ultimate weapon, and Sasuke is dying to kill him with his own hands. The Kyuubi's container, Uzumaki Naruto, is our most powerful ally."

A tint of pride marked her voice as she spoke his name. He had always been a source of courage and determination for her, and for everyone. If anything, she wanted him to live. She resumed with a more domineering voice:

"Team A, you are charged with the task to spy on the sound village. Team B, go to the mist village and find information on Akatsuki's plans. Team C, gather troupes throughout the village. Make way for war. Team D, protect the kyuubi and its container. Tenten, wait for further instructions. The rest of you, Go!"

In the blink of an eye, all ninjas but two were gone. A small gust of wind blew from where the members had been standing. Only Tenten remained where she was. She never enjoyed being held back by others, it always made her blood boil. Her left wrist twitched.

Tsunade contemplated Tenten's behaviour. The fact that the young girl had changed during the last few months was not unknown to her. Her new behaviour was unhealthy and oh so wrong. As Hokage, it was hard for her to go by blinded from such situations and, as she had lived through something similar, could not let an opportunity to help pass. The older woman caught hold of the younger one's twitching. An ironic grin spread across her face. Was that how she coped with it?

"Tenten," began the Hokage "what happened last night was, as opposed to what others may think, not part of an ANBU's ordinary curriculum. Although I know that an ANBU's training includes patience and the will to move on as though nothing happened, I also know that we are all human. What happened to you was treacherous and terrible. I – "

"Please spare me the lecture and tell me why I'm here."

Tsunade glanced into Tenten's eyes. The young girl did not bear the pain of loss or the solitude most people like her have. She seemed…genuinely bored.

"You are exempted from the mission."

Tenten showed a spark of anger, but she closed her eyes immediately and remained calm. She didn't want to blow up. She wouldn't blow up.

"I'm…exempted? Why?"

"You won't be able to work in such conditions." Seeing as Tenten was about to protest, the Hokage immediately moved on. "You will be put on a mission in the village. You and a fellow teammate will have the task of protecting the younger children."

Tenten's hand began to twitch massively. She brought it behind her back and tilted her head to the side. It cracked. She was going to watch over kids. _She_ was going to take care of children. Immediately, she thought of stabbing the Hokage, thinking it was a look-alike, but she decided that the Hokage wouldn't let herself be taken down so easily. There was only one other reason for the task she had been given: Tsunade-sama had gone insane.

"Kids?" asked Tenten.

"Five to seven year olds." replied the older woman.

"I don't know anything about children."

"You can learn. It's not that hard. We were all children once."

'We were,' thought Tenten 'We were also stupid. Some of us still are.'

She left the Hokage's office and directed herself towards the ninja Academy. She couldn't believe that her one true idol would make her do such things. Tsunade-sama knew her! Tenten guessed she wasn't as great as what she had thought. Rain was still pouring.

The ninja Academy was crowded with little kids. They were all yelling, playing and having fun. None of them was lonesome. It was good for them, she guessed. She remembered being innocent and carefree. She remembered…but it wasn't the time to reminisce. The Hokage told her she would have a partner. Where was he? She glanced around the academy, but all she could see were little kids. Some were fighting with others. How could Iruka put up with these children all day, all alone? And…why did he have to go on a mission? If he hadn't left, Tenten could still have gone to the other mission, a much more interesting mission.

Faint steps signalled the arrival of Tenten's partner. She turned around to see who it was. A flick of annoyance characterized Tenten's inner feelings, but surprise was never even considered.

"It's been a long time, Tenten."

When no response came from her former friend, the pink-haired girl sighed and handed her the instructions of the mission. Tenten took the paper and read it quickly. She was in charge of teaching and Sakura, of recreation.

'What a hassle,' she thought 'but at least I won't be with her all this time.'

Wordlessly, she turned towards the Academy and entered the building, leaving the pinked-haired girl outside.

Inside the empty classroom, Tenten's hand twitched. Of all the people in the world, she had to be paired up with Haruno Sakura. She sighed. It was people like her that made her wish for long and painful missions away from Konoha, or any other village for that matter. Sakura had never done anything wrong to her, but her entire entity made Tenten nauseous.

The bell rang and soaked children began to enter the classroom. They were all chattering excitedly. They had heard that they would be assigned a new teacher for some time. They had also heard that she was one of the most powerful ninjas in all of Konoha. To top it all, she was an ANBU member.

While the students sat down in their designated seats and began to quiet down, Tenten debated with herself. She didn't particularly care whether or not they learned anything with her, but failing this mission would probably mean an exemption from any other mission for another long while. And she _really_ wanted another mission.

She sighed. She didn't really have a choice. Tenten looked up to the rows of students. They were all staring at her, eyes gleaming with excitement. Questions could be read in their eyes. Was she really an ANBU member? What will she teach them? Is she strong? What will they do first?

Tenten rolled her eyes. It would be so much simpler to sit in her chair and wait for time to pass. But then again, missions needed to be earned around here. And she couldn't waste any time if she wanted to catch the next important mission.

Tenten prepared herself to speak. She didn't really want to, though. It was always such a hassle to explain things to kids. Not only that, but the events of the morning made her…distracted, to say the least. The same thoughts came back into her mind, over and over again.

_She entered her apartment room and found them, __lying on the floor, soaked in a reddish liquid. She saw a shadow near the window; she followed him out of the apartment and chased him. She lost him. When she came back__, her parents__ hadn't moved. It made her sick. But she couldn't get sick! She was an ANBU member. And she wouldn't cry__, either__. So they weren't a part of this world__ anymore__ Big deal.__ People die every day. It made no sense to care about some but not the rest. She sat on the steps outside. She waited, waited, waited…_

Tenten shook her head. She was becoming weak if she couldn't bring herself to push the morning's events aside. She was here on a mission. It was a terribly boring mission, but she needed to complete it nonetheless.

_He was kissing her. His tongue had entered her mouth, exploring her, teasing her. And she wanted him to continue. She wanted him to hold her tightly, to kiss her passionately._

Tenten closed her eyes and held her head between her arms. What was wrong with her? What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn't going to let this get to her. It didn't last year, it wouldn't this year. She was stronger. She was tougher than before. She…she needed…

Tenten stormed out of the classroom and into the hallway. There were water fountains. She sipped a bit of water. God, what was becoming of her? Suddenly, her eyes shot open. Without any moment of hesitation, she pulled a kunai from her pocket and threw it to her right. The piece of metal clanged on the wall and fell to the floor loudly. Beside the weapon stood a tall dark-haired ninja. He seemed impassive as he picked up the kunai. The boy uncaringly threw the weapon back at the girl, and she caught it without even looking at it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, annoyed. Her arm was twitching massively. She placed it behind her back.

Neji wordlessly handed her a letter. It was addressed to her by the Hokage.

_Tenten,_

_I regret to say I have forgotten an important aspect to your mission. You are to be partnered with Haruno Sa__kura. She has the information concerning your __mission__. And, as you are part of the protection squad, your head captain will be ANBU member Hyuuga Neji._

Tenten's eyes widened as she read the paper. It was bad enough that she was with Haruno, but there was nobody in the entire world that hated Neji more than she. And he was her…captain? The girl shrivelled the note and threw it into a nearby trash can. She turned back towards her classroom. A hand clasped her arm and made her turn around. Neji was still there.

"Tenten." He whispered, but he couldn't say anything else.

The girl pulled herself away from his grasp and walked back towards her class.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Life

Chapter 3:

The young girl sighed as she entered her classroom once more. She rubbed the back of her head and sat at her desk. Everything was so confusing and she needed to straighten things up. First of all, the easiest to comprehend: Tsunade-sama had gone insane with power. It was obvious, wasn't it? Why else would the Hokage be so cruel as to torture Tenten like this? Tsunade-sama had obviously lost her mind.

Secondly, the young ANBU member was now stuck with an incredibly annoying teammate: Haruno Sakura. Nothing was particularly troublesome about her per say, but Tenten still couldn't stand her. That girl was just too, too, stupid.

Thirdly, Neji was her captain, her supervisor, her boss, the one person that could ever possibly drive her to the edge of her saneness. God knows how she couldn't stand him. He was _the_ worst person on the planet for her, and considering everything she had been through during her life, it took a lot to be at the top of her black list.

But Neji was a very strong ANBU member. He was one of the best that there was. He should be out fighting Akatsuki, he should be out destroying Sasuke! Why, then, was he stuck in the village, making plans to protect Konoha when clearly, he would be a better use elsewhere? Had he done it on purpose to stay? Had he wanted to add excuses for her to hate him?

Tenten couldn't stand it. She couldn't stay here! Not under these circumstances. Not after everything that happened a little less than a year ago. But she needed to stay, she needed another mission, she… but what made her so loyal to Konoha, anyway? It had done nothing to her, and yet she found herself obliged to protect it. Why didn't she just leave? She could go anywhere she wanted. She could go by her own way, or follow any leader she chose. Why protect Konoha when all it had ever done to her was create pain and loss. Proof of it was the loss of her parents one night ago.

Tenten was so caught in her own thoughts that she didn't realize the staring gazes from the children around her. Only moments ago, they had been excited to meet another sensei, but now, they were rather worried. Tenten hadn't spoken a word since they arrived. She hadn't done anything but glance in their direction, and warily, at that.

Konohamaru, one of the little boys in the classroom, found it tiring to watch his sensei do nothing but glance empty-eyed at them, too lost in her own thoughts to pay any attention to them. Annoyed, he pulled a kunai from his pouch and threw it at her, all the while yelling: "PAY ATTENTION TO US!"

But the ANBU member dodged it lazily, without a second thought towards it. The kunai stuck in the wall behind her with a thud. The classroom was silenced once more.

Tenten returned to her classroom scornfully. She didn't want to be there, in her old class, where only sad, stupid, childish memories lived, most of which she had spent almost all of her energy trying to forget. Upset, the young girl storm-kicked her desk, sending it flying wildly to the wall. She just wanted to get away.

"Class dismissed for today." Spoke the brown haired girl.

As her students wordlessly exited the classroom, Tenten briefly wondered how she would ever survive more than a day in such a tortuous environment. Little did she know, her students were thinking the same thing.

Tenten spent most of her afternoon wandering the forest, searching aimlessly for an answer she knew she would never find. The question itself was quite unexplainable. What was she to do?

The girl had spent almost an entire year avoiding everything she wanted to forget. Why, then, after all this time, was she being put through so much trouble with unwanted people?

Night fell and her question had yet to be answered. Sighing hopelessly, Tenten began her journey home. Halfway from the forest to her house, however, her eyes grew wide as she remembered what awaited her there. Tenten stood frozen in space. Where was she to go? It was already pretty late and most people were already sound asleep. Would she really have to sleep on the ground?

While debating the subject in her head, Tenten unconsciously began walking home. It was only when she was on the steps of her house that she realized where she was and what a terrible mistake she had made. Not knowing what to do, she sat on the steps and waited for the day to start once more.

_Neji__ walked through the night. He was unable to get some sleep; his mind was racing with every second that passed. He kept his pace, which was quite brisk, for quite some time before stopping. He saw, on the steps of a house not far from where he was, a young girl, her head in her arms. She seemed rather bored…_

_In seconds, __Neji__ was in front of __Tenten's__ home, facing her from three steps below. Surprised, the young girl looked up._

_"__Neji__, what the he-just leave me alone!" she yelled, but he wasn't listening._

_Slowly, he climbed the steps one by one. Slowly, he closed the gap between her and him. __Tenten__ tried to move away. She wouldn't let him get close to her! But the boy moved with such sudden swiftness, she was glued to her seat and he, sitting right beside her._

_In seconds, his lips were on hers, his hand on her cheek, his breath becoming hers. Eyes closed and mouth slightly opened, __Tenten__ let his tongue wander through her mouth, re exploring her, tasting her. Suddenly, the hand that was on her cheek trailed down to her neck, sending goose bumps run down her spine. His mouth broke free of hers and it too began caressing her neck. Unsure of what to do, but definitely not wanting him to stop, __Tenten__ let him continue. She felt his hand lower, his kisses deepening with__ every breath. He had her in his__ grasp_

Tenten awoke with a sudden alertness. Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had been dreaming. This wasn't happening! It couldn't be! She hated Neji and always would. How could she possibly forgive what he had done to her?

Tears filled her eyes as she realized that she could not live like this. Although it had yet to be more than a day in such terrifying circumstances, she felt it would last like this for quite some time in the future also, and no matter what, she could not let that be.

Tenten was still lost in her thoughts, in her memories. She wasn't sure what to do. Should she leave Konoha? Would she be better off without this country? Images of her past came forth in her mind. Images of her parents, once alive, now dead. Images of her brother, gone before he was two, a little less than a year ago. Images of Neji, once …

Her eyes widened as she made her decision. She was going, going, gone.

Tenten raced through the village as fast as she could. She didn't want to stay here longer than necessary. She didn't make a stop anywhere to get provisions; she would find some on the way. She didn't stop for weapons; she always had many on her. In seconds, Tenten was out of the village, and freer than she had ever been.

She ran and ran for three days straight, only stopping to rest and eat. She realized the village would be at her pursuit and she couldn't let them catch her. She needed to get to a place nobody expected her to go. She needed to get to the mist village. Rumours were that the Akatsuki members were at hiding there. Naturally, she would never dream to join those traitors, but perhaps Konoha would bypass that place upon looking for her and she would be safe.

Her plan was genius, but not full proof. On the fourth day of her journey, she was stopped by two highly unwanted travellers.

"What do you want?" demanded Tenten, defensively. Slowly, she reached for a shuriken in her back pocket.

A grin plastered on the taller one's face. His giant sword was resting dangerously on his shoulder.

"We just want to talk. Rumour is you left the village of Konoha. Ku ku."

"So what if I did?"

"You could probably be of use to us."

"Well, forget it." snapped Tenten. She didn't want to waste any time with such people. The quicker she was away, the better.

Unfortunately, the two criminals thought otherwise. In moments, the shorter one was behind Tenten, his arms outstretched. He caught the unconscious girl and threw her across his shoulder. Carelessly, the two Akatsuki members began to walk away.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Life

Chapter 4:

Tenten woke on a small bed, her head throbbing. She looked around, confused. Where was she? The walls were blank, the furniture seemed unused, and the curtains were pulled across the only window in the room. On a chair near that window sat a tall shadow. His face could not be discerned because of the darkness of the room. When he saw that she was awake, however, he grinned.

"Well, it looks like I lost the bet." he said, all the while chuckling. "You're not dead."

"Who are you?" snapped Tenten. She couldn't remember anything since she left the village. Where was she? What day was it? Where were her clothes?

Tenten's eyes went wide as she realized her nakedness beneath the covers. What was going on? Seeing his prisoner panic, Kisame ceased to grin and moved out of the shadows.

"Don't worry. We didn't do anything to you, yet. We just can't have you making holes in the walls with your weapons, now can we? It would be far too much trouble having you fight us while we're travelling."

"Where are we?" she demanded, but the Akatsuki member simply shook his head.

"Why did you captured me?" the ANBU member asked again.

"Captured? As far as we're concerned, you came willingly. Letting yourself be attacked so easily. Call yourself an ANBU member, do you?"

Tenten flinched as the memories of the day before came swarming back. It was true that she hadn't fought back. She hadn't been very sure what to do in the circumstances. A great deal of her, back then, had told her to run, but a bigger part told her to stay with them, to try to get to know them. Was it that she was still loyal to Konoha, trying to get as much information from the enemy as possible? Or perhaps it was the opposite. Was she so mad at Konoha that she would rather join the Akatsuki instead?

"You know, spoke Kisame, it is a shame I was banned from touching you. You are quite pretty in your useless state."

Tenten inwardly thanked whoever it was who had banned him. She had no intention of getting it on with whoever the blue-skinned creep was. As if sensing Tenten's interior feelings, Kisame grinned.

"Don't flatter yourself, he said; I would never touch scum like you that way." The fish man pulled his giant sword from the floor and pointed it at Tenten. "I would just have liked to play a little with you. See how long you'd last with Samehada on your back."

"But you won't." Tenten's blood froze as she heard the voice from behind her. It was calm and threatless, but she could feel the man's piercing gaze stop time itself.

"Come on, Itachi-san. I was just messing around." chuckled Kisame.

"Enough of the games. We're leaving." replied Itachi.

The man turned to Tenten, his look wary. He didn't seem the least bit interested in her or what she had to say, but it was his mission to bring her back to the lair, and so he was going to without fail. Wordlessly, he handed her clothes and exited the room.

Tenten turned to Kisame, but he merely chuckled and shook his head. He was not about to leave her alone while she changed.

Meanwhile, Lee was panicking in the Hokage's office.

"What do you mean she left? How could she have left? Has she really left? Are you sure she's not at home? In the forest? Somewhere in the village? Where did she go? Is she alright? Are you listening, Hokage-sama? This is quite the time to act, don't you think? I, Lee, will bring Tenten back to the village if it is the last thing I do!" rambled the green-suited boy. He made a thumbs up at the sitting Hokage. "It's a promise of a lifetime!"

The boy was almost out the door when a hand slammed him through it.

"Stay calm, Lee!" bellowed a crying Gai. "We will find her, but orders must be handed first!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" yelled Lee, and the two men hugged and waited for a reply from Tsunade-sama, who, curiously, had yet to speak a word in the whole conversation. Neji was also in the room. He was leaning against a wall near the exit.

"Now," spoke Tsunade. A vein seemed to pump out of her temple. "Gai-sensei, Lee-san, you are excused."

The two men's eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets. What had she just said?

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama, but don't you believe-" began Gai, but he was cut off almost immediately.

"No, I do not believe you two would be most adequate during the mission. Although it is certain that you two have known Tenten far longer than anyone else, you have lost contact with her over the past year. Tenten has changed, gentlemen. I'm sorry to say this, but you no longer know Tenten, and for that, I exempt you from this mission."

Gai and Lee, tears streaming down their faces, left the Hokage's office, and returned to their previous mission.

When the door closed, Tsunade began to speak once more.

"Hyuuga Neji, as far as we know, you have been last to speak with her since she left. You're the one closest to knowing her emotional state, and it had been rumoured that you were also with her at the time of the incident, a little less than a year ago. Moreover, you two have been emotionally involved for two and a half years prior the incident. You will therefore be the one asked to bring her back to Konoha. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Good. You will be given a three-man crew of your choosing. You are to leave half an hour after this conversation ends. The crew must be aware of Tenten's grad as vice-ANBU chief. She is highly dangerous, given last year's incident. Is this noted?"

"Yes."

"Perfect."

Neji turned to leave. His hand was on the door handle when his name was called out from behind him.

"Neji. Don't think me stupid. I know your involvement with her has caused her departure. I still stand by what I say when I speak of you being best to bring her back. But before you do, I need you to tell me everything that happened a little less than a year ago."

Neji turned and faced the Hokage. His face was impassive, but for the first time ever, Tsunade-sama had the impression of seeing the shadow of pain in his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Life

Chapter 5:

The clouds pushed passed the moon and the stars as the three nins immerged onto the dark and dusty road. The winds were blowing steadily passed them in the opposite direction, bringing with them small strands of their hair and scent.

The young girl in the middle felt unusually calm amongst her two companions. She was certain confusion and fear would have issued from her kidnapping, but they hadn't merged her for a second. Naturally, she questioned herself on their destination, but other than the obvious, she felt no need to deepen her turmoil. Quite the opposite, she felt rather relieved to be travelling with two fine experts such as them. If anything, she was glad they had ever tried to find her.

Tenten grinned peacefully, letting the darkness engulf her mind and heart. Goodbye Konoha.

Suddenly, in the middle of the road, the three nins came to a halt. The two men looked at each other and nodded to one another. They needed no words to understand the other, for both had had, at the same time, the very same message in their minds.

_"It is time. Bring her."_ had spoken their master. They would obey him without question.

A crow cawed from a branch and took off into a majestic flight, swooping over the place where there once stood three powerful ninjas, all of which had deserted their country and home. They had disappeared.

In the village of two of those deserters, in the room of a tall and highly recognized building, stood a man, his eyes fixed into those of his superior, who was sitting silently and patiently behind her desk, her arms crossed on the long wooden table.

Silence reigned between them for few minutes. The boy seemed to be replacing certain thoughts into order, trying to bring his emotions into words, trying, it seemed, to make the situation as true, and yet as painless as he could, but all in vain. In fact, he knew himself that it was quite useless, but it was impossible for him to stop. He knew perfectly well that he would forget everything he was trying to do, and that he would dictate the events just as he reminded himself every night, when the moon was out and he had yet to fall asleep.

Finally, as the second ticked to a full hour, the ANBU captain spoke.

"Tenten had just gotten her jounin acceptance." he said, his voice calm and controlled. "As every new occasion occurred, our mentor, Gai-sensei, took us out to celebrate. He and Lee were excited. They were jumpy and loud, but I remember that Tenten was not. She smiled whenever they spoke to her, but other than that, she seemed rather distant. As we walked out of the restaurant, and the two others began their nightly training, I spoke to her.

_"What's wrong?" he asked, impassive and seemingly uncaringly._

_"Huh? Oh, nothing." replied the girl. She smiled._

_"You're not happy."_

_Her eyes widened at the statement. He had never been so direct to her before._

_"Well," she began, unsure how to react "__I'm thrilled I became __jounin__ so quickly. I mean, loads of people spend years trying to become one, but hardly any actually receive it."_

_The young girl paused and looked away. She seemed lost in thought._

_"I just," she said "I just thought my parents would be prouder. I was so excited when I told them, but th__e only thing they told me was that it wasn't until I beca__me ANBU __that __any of it__ would mean__ anything. Maybe they're just preoccupied because of mom's pregnancy, and I know they always wanted a boy, but, I just, I thought they would be more pleased."_

_Neji__ was silent. He was looking at her, analyzing her look, her actions. Finally, he spoke._

_"It's not about your parents. It's about you."__ His voice was unusually stern, as though he wanted her to understand his meaning.__ And with those words, he began to walk away._

_Tenten__ remained stunned into place for a few seconds, but she quickly caught up wit__h him._

_"Gee, __Neji__, I never knew you could care so much. Thank you." smiled __Tenten_

_"Care?" replied __Neji_

_Tenten__ huffed up a sigh, but then laughed and smiled once more. Slowly, imperceptive, her hand met his on their walk home._

I was there when her mother gave in to labour, and I was there when she received her ranking as ANBU member and vice-captain of a squad team. She must have thought she could depend on me."

Neji paused and shifted on his feet. He suddenly felt quite uncomfortable. Nevertheless, he stood still and recited what happened next.

"Tenten's brother was almost two years old when she was assigned a mission to the Grass Country. She was supposed to find two fugitives and bring them back to Konoha. It was ranked class B for the ANBU teams, but it really should have been class A. The two fugitives had found Orochimaru's camp and were hiding in it. When Tenten's squad arrived, they were ambushed and many were killed instantly. But Orochimaru's camp was minimal to his actual army in the Sound Village. The Konoha nins were able to push through and they came close to capturing the two fugitives when they flew to the Waterfall Country.

"Tenten's parents were with his brother in that country, taking a vacation. There arrived a massive conflict and her parents were brought in to fight. Tenten was handed the task to protect her brother. When my team arrived as back-up, she was beaten pretty badly, but her brother was unharmed. We managed to fight off the enemy, but one was still alive when I came to Tenten. He threw a bomb in our direction and I instinctively grabbed Tenten's arm and jumped out of the way. She, in turn, grabbed her brother's arm, but the bomb was double-handed. When it exploded, another one did also. Her brother, when he was in the air, felt full throttle of the second bomb. He died."

Neji paused once more. He wasn't sure how to relate the facts anymore. He just had the images of that night running in his mind over and over again.

"Her parents blame her for the death of their only son and she has never spoken to me since."

Tsunade leaned back in her seat. It was a terrible story, and she now understood why the former ANBU member had felt such disdain when she was given the task to supervise children.

"Thank you, Neji." said the Hokage. "You may prepare for the mission."

Neji left the office silently, leaving Tsunade alone to contemplate what she had just heard. The lady sighed and shook her head. If only it hadn't been so…

"Shizune!" called out the Hokage. "Bring me some sake!"

In a dark and shadowy underground, a voice spoke amongst many figures, invisible to the onlooker. His voice was superior and powerful, but there was a hint of surprise at the tip of the vocal.

"You want to join us?" he asked one of the shadows in particular.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know, and I am strong. I could be a great asset." replied the voice of a woman.

"What makes us able to trust you?" inquired another man.

"I could prove it any way you want. I just need an opportunity."

"Why do you want to join us?" asked another.

Here the girl paused for a brief moment.

"We share common enemies."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Also, I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story sooner.

Life

Chapter 6:

Tenten looked around the bare walls surrounding her. She was alone, at last. It had been quite a while since she was able to reflect proper thoughts in silence. Akatsuki members exchanged turns to guard her room. They didn't trust her quite yet. However, they were silent and usually stood outside her room.

Tenten sighed and lay down on the bed at her disposal. Oddly enough, she was quite comfortable. She felt no fear or anguish at the thought of being in the Akatsuki lair. In fact, she was pleased. In any case, whether they let her become a member or not mattered not. They needed her. That was a fact. Why else would they send members to her encounter? Furthermore, she had a crucial secret, one that would hold immense power, and of course, that could never be tortured out of her.

Suddenly, the locks barring the door were unhooked and a cloaked figure stepped into the room. He wore a broad hat, shadowing his face. He held a similar one to her.

"If you betray us, you die." He spoke.

Tenten grinned.

"Fair enough." She said, as she grabbed the hat and cloaked herself.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Neji was preparing for departure. It seemed everyone dependable was already assigned missions. He would have to go alone.

Neji was about to depart when a familiar and slightly irritating voice called out to him.

"Lee, what is it that you want?" asked Neji in the most icy voice possible.

"Neji-san! You must bring Tenten back!" replied Lee, in the most matter-of-fact way. "And for that, he went on, you will need me!"

"No."

"Yes, Neji-san! I am strong. I am dependable! And I promise to bring her back! This is a promise of a lifetime!"

Lee stroke his "nice-guy" pose, but as he did so, Neji, completely ignoring his companion, moved away from the village and embarked his journey. He didn't have time to deal with trivialities.

"That Neji!" exclaimed Lee. "He forgot his most important weapon!" And with this in mind, Lee ran after his teammate, max-confidence and max-inspiration.


End file.
